Isaiah 42:7 - Exposition

To open the blind eyes . The Messiah was to cure both physical and. spiritual blindness (see Isaiah 29:18 ; Isaiah 32:3 ; Isaiah 35:5 , etc.). Here it is spiritual blindness that is specially intended, as appears both by the symbolic language of the two conjoined clauses, and by the comment of Isaiah 42:16-19 . To bring out the prisoners from the prison ; rather, to bring out prisoners. To deliver from the bondage of sin such as are its slaves, and shut up in its prison-houses. The promise is general, but, like all spiritual promises, conditioned by the willingness of those who are its objects to avail themselves of it. Them that sit in darkness (comp. Isaiah 9:2 ).